Yechuri, Raja Join Students as Hundreds March from Mandi House to HRD Ministry for JNU VC's Ouster

New Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Several prominent Left leaders, including Sitaram Yechuri and D Raja, on Thursday joined hundreds of JNU and other students, who hit the street to protest against the recent violence at JNU and demand resignation of the varsity vice-chancellor.

Also joined by many civil societies' members, the students began the march from Mandi House to the HRD Ministry in Shastri Bhawan, carrying placards and banners that read 'No CAA, No NRC', 'Ban ABVP from university campuses', and renting the air with slogans like 'Halla Bol' and 'Inquilab Zindabad'.

Banners also carrying messages such as 'Reject Violence' and 'Education is not a commodity to be bought or sold' dotted the swelling crowd that demanded strict action against those involved in the campus violence on January 5 that left more than 35 JNU students and teachers injured.

JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh, who was one of those injured in the Sunday violence, also joined the march, but left midway after she felt unwell. She later joined the protesters at Shastri Bhawan when a delegation of teachers' association and students' union was taken to meet HRD officials.

Political leaders, who joined the students' march, also included Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat of CPI(M) and Rastriya Janta Dal Loktantrik chief Sharad Yadav.

"People have started speaking up and that is what these people are not able to digest. They are manufacturing stories that the protests have nothing to do with students or workers but are political," said Brinda Karat, referring to the ruling BJP government.

"For three hours, people wearing masks beat up varsity students. They entered the campus despite police being present at the main gate," rued Yechury.

Alleging that the incident could not have happened without the vice-chancellor's knowledge, he said, "The VC has to go".

"The VC is now saying his doors are open. Why didn't the masked persons come to you then? You have to meet students and resolve issues. He is a 'chor' and trying to become 'kotwal'.

"The violence was done by the administration and police," he alleged.

While looking towards policemen, he said, "You would also be wanting your children to be in JNU. Please do not beat your own children. They are fighting for you," he said.

D Raja said the JNU is the pride of nation and the issue concerning the university is a "national issue".

"JNU issue is a national issue. That's why we are with you. Fighting for the JNU is fighting to save the nation. The attack on the JNU is part of a sinister design to convert our secular democratic country into Hindu Rashtra. We, as concerned citizens, should stand up to save our country," he said.

RJD MP Manoj Jha said the VC has to go and the situation in the university cannot be normalised till he is ousted.

JNUSU vice-president Saket Moon said they will ensure that fee hike, 'Mamidala' (Jagadesh Kumar) and hostel manual are thrown out of campus.

"The home minister is again talking about 'tukde-tukde' gang at the time of Delhi elections. He is trying to divert issues from electricity, water, etc. We will not be scared and will not go back and end our struggle. Such violence has never happened on the campus," he said.

JNUSU secretary Satish Chandra Yadav said the violence was a move to divert from the main issue of fee hike.

"Our movement was moving towards success and the government was aware that if we become successful it would also lead to other universities raising their voice. The VC is 'anti student'," he said.

He alleged that the RSS-affiliated ABVP started attacking people from January 4.

"Police are roaming in campus in plain clothes but not to save us. Police escorted the attackers out of campus. The VC is an incompetent person. We will ensure that the VC has to resign today and we will reclaim our campus," Yadav said.

Even as the march was proceeding towards Shastri Bhawan, a student from Punjab University was spray-painting the road with slogans like 'The VC must resign' and 'No CAA, No NRC'.

The student, Vicky Mahesari, a member of the Left-affiliated All India Students' Federation (AISF), said, "We do not have money or propaganda to spread our message. We are using every means at our disposal to spread our message. The people in the government feel they are in majority. But we are the exploited people and we are in majority. This government has to go."

Another group of students was using chalks to write their messages.

'Empire of Vampire, JNU VC must resign' was being written by them.

Azaan, a student of Indra Prastha University, who had written the message, said, "Section 144 might prohibit us from assembling but our message will live on."

On Sunday, a mob of masked men had stormed the campus and targeted students in three hostels, unleashing mayhem with sticks, stones and iron rods and hitting inmates while also breaking windows, furniture and personal belongings.

The JNU students' union has been demanding a rollback of the hostel and mess fee hike and had boycotted the registration process for the next semester.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)